Migrant-led political satire returns to Jacksons Lane

Ali in Wonder(Eng)land is performed by an ensemble cast of refugees and migrants through a Haringey-based theatre company

ALI 3 credit Kuan Ying Chou — *Ali* is coming to Jacksons Lane in July (credit Kuan Ying Chou)

A political satire created and performed by an ensemble cast of refugees and migrants is coming back to Jacksons Lane next month.

Ali in Wonder(Eng)land is Legal Aliens Theatre’s reimagining of the Lewis Carroll famous novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and sees an outsider coming to a strange new land only to be caught up in rules that make no sense.

The “politically sharp” satire sees different participants taking on the title role of Ali, each bringing their own lived experience to Ali’s plight.

Following a white rabbit’s promises of red buses, perfect queues and the sixth largest economy in the world, he comes to England only to encounter doors of the wrong size, interviews with no right answers, and helpful people that make everything worse.

Ali in Wonder(Eng)land is described as a “whimsical and imaginative exploration of the experience of migration viewed through an absurdist lens, of how migrating changes us and the resilience necessary to face hostility and discrimination”.

The show was originally conceived in 2022 by Legal Aliens Theatre and the participants of their Tottenham Project, which was founded in 2018 by the Haringey-based, migrant-led company.

Legal Aliens Theatre run free classes for migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and anyone with English as a second language. The classes run every Monday in The Engine Room in Tottenham Hale, and won ‘Theatre of Sanctuary’ status as well as a ‘Haringey Heroes’ award.

Ali in Wonder(Eng)land was first presented at Jacksons Lane in 2023, and will be revised and developed in 2026 to reflect the experiences of a changed British society as well as new participants, including people from Iran, Venezuela, Eritrea, Cameroon and Poland.

Director Lara Parmiani said: “Creating a physical theatre satire with a cast of people navigating insecure immigration status, different languages, complicated lives and very different relationships to theatre is both a challenge and a joy.

“When theatre becomes a place where people can come together, be heard, and laugh at systems that so often reduce them to paperwork or stereotypes, something extraordinary happens. There is a raw energy in the room that you cannot manufacture. The result may not be polished, but it feels deeply alive.”

Angus MacKechnie, creative director of Jacksons Lane, added: “We are pleased to welcome Legal Aliens Theatre back to Jacksons Lane. Their work consistently brings important perspective to our identity as a venue, combining creative physical performance with meaningful community engagement. The return of Ali in Wonder(Eng)land represents an important narrative of migrant lived experience and ensures our stage directly reflects the diverse local community of Haringey; we look forward to sharing this production with our audiences once again.”

Ali in Wonder(Eng)land will be performed at Jacksons Lane, 269a Archway Road in Highgate, on Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th July from 7.30pm, with a Wednesday matinee at 1.30pm. Tickets are £15 for adults and £10 for concessions:
Visit jacksonslane.org.uk

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